Chief of the Shawnee Tribe, a federally-recognized tribe of American Indians. Undoing the consequences of our removal by strengthening our communities.
Miami, OK
Joined September 2019
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Dear Members of NCAI,
Today I feel I must write & demonstrate the importance of approving the constitutional amendments proposed by the Shawnee Tribe and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
archive.ncai.org/about-ncai/… – at New Orleans, LA
Today is Orange Shirt Day! Wear your orange for remembrance of the U.S. Indian Boarding School survivors and experiences.
Image: Shawnee Business Council Proclamation 2025-09-30 "Orange Shirt Day—A Day of Remembrance."
More here 👉 boardingschoolhealing.org/
Today I join Indian Country in my expression of grief over the passing of Ernie Stevens Jr, longtime leader of @IndianGaming85. In recent years, I came to know Ernie as many of you have, as a friend but more importantly as our champion.
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
Cherokee Nation celebrates grand opening of new Loyal Shawnee community building in White Oak anadisgoi.com/index.php/gove… @CherokeeNation
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
The time is NOW.
Congress must pass S.761 – the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act.
✊🏽 Speak up. Show up. Demand action.
#PassS761 #TruthAndHealingNow #HonorIndigenousVoices #BoardingSchoolTruth
For over 15 years Chief Baldridge & I worked to strengthen US support for United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Recent advancements demonstrate the importance of tribal nation & federal partner collaboration. Read here 👉 shawnee-nsn.gov/news/federal…
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
NABS CEO, Deb “Tsicyaltsa” Parker (Tulalip Tribes), has been honored with the **Outstanding National Tribal Leader Award 2024** by the United Indian Nations of Oklahoma.
Congratulations, Tsicyaltsa, on this well-deserved achievement! 🌟
Photo credit: Bronnson Harjo
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
🚨 We're almost to the finish line!!! 🚨
We need YOUR help! Visit our ‘Take Action’ page now to contact your congressional representatives TODAY and urge them to bring the Truth and Healing Bill to the floor for a vote.
loom.ly/DAlFkOc
Tomorrow I will be with the Gila River Indian Community to attend President Joe Biden’s historic event where he is expected to deliver a historic presidential apology for the federal Indian boarding school era.
shawnee-nsn.gov/news/chief-b…
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
We are so grateful for the Shawnee tribe for helping us bring Tecumseh and the Shawnee to #Civ7. Thank you to our special guests @ChiefBarnes and Karl Meyer for joining us this stream! 🧡 Watch it here: 2kgam.es/4epl9xF
And, visit the Shawnee's official website and learn more about the tribe here: shawnee-nsn.gov/ @saawanooki
Our #Civ7 dev livestream with Shawnee special guests starts in <10 min! Come join us!
🔴👉twitch.tv/firaxisgames
🟠 Today is Orange Shirt Day, a day of remembrance as the U.S. confronts the legacy of Indian boarding schools.
“Every single Native person has been affected by boarding schools, whether they attended or not.” says @ChiefBarnes
usnews.com/news/national-new…
▶️ Watch a 3-minute recap of June’s grand opening of the Great Council State Park in Xenia, Ohio with myself and the Shawnee Tribe's historic preservation staff.
Watch 👉 youtu.be/3WcYAL1fbSw?si=S0pG…
Join me & Eli Grayson (@MuscogeeNation) today, Aug. 20, at 1:00 pm CST for an Africans & Indians Table Talk conversation.
We'll be on KBOB 89.9 FM radio in Tulsa or live on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. kbob899.com/
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
This is the first time that the federal government is acknowledging this painful chapter of our history - one that was facilitated by the Department I now lead. This work is not done. Our Road to Healing has not ended. It is just beginning.
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
Volume 2 outlines recommendations to continue critical healing to address harms like intergenerational trauma that persist from this era. I am profoundly grateful to @AsstSecNewland and our staff for their courageous and deeply personal dedication to this mission.
ALT Secretary Haaland and Assistant Secretary Newland stand together ahead of a press conference.
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
Today, we released the final volume of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative's investigative report on our nation's troubled yet largely ignored boarding school era. It's an era that has impacted every Native person I know, including my own family.
doi.gov/pressreleases/secret…
Congratulations, Speaker Pam Shaw & Second Speaker Otto Hamilton!
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
Tribal members and citizens of the Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Muscogee Nation and very soon Seminole Nation can utilize their tribal membership to enjoy hunting and fishing in participating tribes’ treaty territories.
loom.ly/BAAp-jk
Chief Ben Barnes retweeted
The Atlanta @Braves are not honoring federally recognized tribal nations by inviting fraudulent organizations posing as tribes to "Georgia Tribe Night."
Read more in this article by the Chattanooga @TimesFreePress. ⬇️
timesfreepress.com/news/2024…
After many hands over many years, we now have a printed, final boarding school bill. Here it is, hot off the press straight from the office of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. #IndianBoardingSchools @NABSHC
